Mark Schoepp of Wheat Ridge Ministries
In the morning, Mark Schoepp will take participants on an accessible and practical journey through some current brain research, under a health and wellness umbrella. We'll look at how three things - exercise, diet and play - profoundly affect the brain and can make positive impacts on our ability to give God our best well into our senior years.
In the afternoon, in a continuation of the keynote presentation from the morning, Mark will present a workshop on Wiring and Re-wiring the Brain. Mark will look at how the brain wires and re-wires itself all throughout life, and how we can use that information to function more fully. The session will help you understand yourself, your children and even your grandchildren better. There will also be a short discussion about exercise, diet and play as they connect to Alzheimer's Disease.
Mark Schoepp was born in Ponoka, Alberta, Canada July of 1954, the son of a Lutheran Pastor, and grew up in various cities in Alberta. He graduated from University of Alberta with a B.A. degree in Sociology in 1975 and received certification as a Director of Christian Education from Concordia University, NE in 1980. On January 27/80 Mark and Rebecca (Becky) were married and they have four children: Jenica, Isaac, Samuel and Gideon. Between 1980 and 1994 Mark served in three parishes in Education and Youth Ministry: Hope Lutheran of the Deaf in Portland, OR; Messiah Lutheran in Seattle, WA; and St John Lutheran in Seward, NE. In 1990 Mark earned a Masters Degree in Parish Education from Concordia University, NE.
In 1994 Mark and his wife, Becky and their four children went full time into Fitz Family Ministries, a unique family ministry and entertainment troupe performing all over the U.S in schools and churches, youth gatherings and conferences with a mission: "to encourage people to discover, celebrate and use their unique gifts in the Lord's service". They have traveled more than 800,000 miles and performed for more than 800,000 people since they started.
In 2005 Mark went back to serve in the parish at St Paul Lutheran in Aurora, IL from August 2005 through June 2009 in Children and Family Ministry, while continuing to tour part time with Fitz Family. In June of 2009, after all four of their children were grown and gone, Mark was called as Missionary-at-large with Our Savior Lutheran Church in Gladwin, MI and Mark and Becky went back on the road full time with Fitz Family Ministries. In addition to performance, they added a focus on health and wellness with workshops on current brain research for church and school staff and parents. They also worked part time with Wheat Ridge Ministries while they traveled, telling the Wheat Ridge story as well.
In addition to the Parish ministry, and the performance and workshop/speaking ministry, Mark has served on the Synodical Board for Youth Ministry, the Walther League Board of Governors, and planning committees for three different National Youth Gatherings and various local and regional youth gatherings and conferences.
Mark now serves full time with Wheat Ridge Ministries as Church Relations Representative. The work will take him all over the U.S. and will involve encouraging and assisting congregations who are starting new health and human care ministries, providing workshops related to whole person health, and helping congregations expand their ministry reach by engaging with and supporting the work of Wheat Ridge.
Mark serves as Wheat Ridge Ministries- Church Relations Representative.
Mark has also developed an alter ego called Dr. Luke. What happens when a 1st Century Physician, the writer of the Gospel of Luke, experiences 21st Century life? "Dr Luke Presents" observations on faith, culture, health, and news about Wheat Ridge Ministries (Dr Luke's favorite organization!)